Mowing deck bolts

[JOHNTHOMAS]

John, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell me you put jack stands under the axles or blocks under the wheels before you crawl under there!!!

I didn't, I didn't, I didn't. I should have, I should have, I should have. I think there is enough clearance laying flat under it that it wouldn't have crushed me but I'm first going to check it and then I'll probably put something under the wheels in the future.

 

[Volfandt]

Entertaining and informative thread

re. air compressor and impact wrenches. If one does their own mechanical maintenance, this IS the way to go. There is SO MANY uses for this setup that it would take a thread all it's own to detail But, to touch on thr OP's basic message, mower blades, wheels and just about any fastner that fastens to a movable object becomes mere fodder for an impact wrench to remove and replace
Only negative is the cost to get started.
A very good alternative that has already been mentioned is the 3/4" drive electric impact wrench. I have both and there are times when one works better than the other....
Same sockets work for either too...

re. blades. I would recommend either the OEM HI lifts or going w/a gatorblade over the std OEM's. I know I'm late to the party but I offer this for future readers of this fine thread.
The advantages are basically a better cut and better clipping disbursion. Either works very well w/baggers too. Std OEM's are fine but if you want to take it to the next level

re. sharpening, I use a hand grinder and file to sharpen my gatorblades and I do it atleast once a yr at the beginning of the season but it's not unusual to do them again should I "feel" the cut is regressing.
I'm going on my 4th season on these gators and so far they've held up better than any blade I've used before. But like everything, Oregon had come out w/a new latest and greatest and I've been considering a change. The ones that have caught my eye are the new Magnum 3-1 Hi lift mulcher blades. Supposedly they have 40% more lift than the std/OEM's and std gators of yrs past.
Again, blade tip speed, sharp edges, coupled w/higher lift equates to what the commerical high $$$ mowers achieve and what customers happily pay for...

re. doing ones own maintenance. Bravo!
Back in the day farming/Lawn & garden machinery required frequent scheduled maintenance and those that could "wrench" their own eqt were well ahead of the game. Modern machinery's scheduled maintenance is alot easier and is less frenquently required although they are much more complicated to repair. The good thing is w/ the required scheduled maintenance being done when required lessens the likelyhood of complicated repairs, and when one can do their own they get a much better ROI. Plus one learns their machinery much better.

re. working under heavy machinery, ALWAYS use jackstands and or something similar for support. Murphys law as well as the proverbial "gotcha" will getya when one least expects it....

Well, breaks over gotta get back to the grind. Helpful threads such as this that lead to entertaining reply's are, well entertaining, and beg for long after the fact reply's
Dave

 

[Tom_H]

I think there is enough clearance laying flat under it that it wouldn't have crushed me ....

I'm particularly thinking of you crawling under a still mounted MMM to use that Dremmel tool on still mounted blades. There's about enough clearance for a chihuahua (assuming deck is in up position). BTW, no disrespect intended to anyone, Dremmel's have their place, but IMHO this is undersized for the job.

I spent one summer during college working in a machine shop. There was one full time guy and I on the punch presses. The presses had been built shortly after the Civil War (no joke) when a steam engine and huge leather belts turned all machinery in a factory. The little startup company jerry rigged electric motors to the drive mechanisms and put "safety buttons" on each hand. The parts would not eject correctly between each stamping. We figured out a way to hold down the safety buttons with our elbows and whack each part stamped out from between the press with a 10" long piece of 1 x 1/2 trim pine. Our rhythm had to be perfectly timed. Every 20 min. or so, the press would misfire and the lower half of that stick would be converted to a thin piece of veneer. About two summers later, I worked there again. That other guy was now working as a floor sweeper. When I saw one of his fingers missing, I didn't have to ask why.

And the moral of this story is: "Never, never, never become complacent when working around powerful/heavy equipment. Respect it the way you would a crocodile if you were its feeder in a zoo. It may look as docile as a statue, but it will have you for lunch before you know what's happened."

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I'm particularly thinking of you crawling under a still mounted MMM to use that Dremmel tool on still mounted blades. There's about enough clearance for a chihuahua (assuming deck is in up position).
And the moral of this story is: "Never, never, never become complacent when working around powerful/heavy equipment. Respect it the way you would a crocodile if you were its feeder in a zoo. It may look as docile as a statue, but it will have you for lunch before you know what's happened."

I agree. Seen to many injuries. I wouldn't get under the deck, I was under tractor when deck was/is removed.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Entertaining and informative thread

re. air compressor and impact wrenches. If one does their own mechanical maintenance, this IS the way to go. There is SO MANY uses for this setup that it would take a thread all it's own to detail But, to touch on thr OP's basic message, mower blades, wheels and just about any fastner that fastens to a movable object becomes mere fodder for an impact wrench to remove and replace
Only negative is the cost to get started.
A very good alternative that has already been mentioned is the 3/4" drive electric impact wrench. I have both and there are times when one works better than the other....
Same sockets work for either too...

Dave

I think I bought an entire air tools kit at Lowe's for around $50. I think it was a big sale maybe Black Friday or a clearance so actually if one owns a compressor already it is fairly cheap to get it. Don't know how any one can be without a compressor for wood construction and/or mechanical. The set I bought even had the sockets plus alot of other stuff. Sure it was over $100 regular price.

 

[dmnsmith2]

I've got the RCK60 mid-mount-mower on my B7800 Kubota. I assume this also is a 30mm socket? TIA!!

 

[bp fick]

Regular sockets have been known to shatter using an impact air gun. We've all done it, but we know we shouldn't. (use regular sockets on an impact) I think I'd rather a guy bought some Harbor Freight or some such cheap impact sockets than use even the better standard sockets. Not the safety police, just sayin'.

The six sided impact sockets are the right tool. Necessity is sometimes the mother of invention and innovation, but next time you are at an estate sale or flea market or Harbor Freight type place, pick up a set of 6 sided, deep well, impact sockets. They can be gotten very cheaply. Grab a set in both metric and SAE. Oil your gun too once in awhile.:thumbsup:

 

[jimmer2880]

Please don't mow your deck bolts. Your blades won't like it very much.

 

[dmnsmith2]

I've got the RCK60 mid-mount-mower on my B7800 Kubota. I assume this also is a 30mm socket? TIA!!

This socket is $30 so I would like to make sure I have the right one before I purchase. TIA!

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

This socket is $30 so I would like to make sure I have the right one before I purchase. TIA!

Paid under $9 at Advance Auto and Lowe's has it for under $9. I'm sure either place will take a return if it's the wrong size but mine was 30MM from Advance.